Acts 2:31 (KJV)

Passage

He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

Nearby Context

Acts 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

Acts 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

Acts 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

Acts 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

Acts 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "seeing", "before", "spake", "resurrection", "christ", "soul", "left", and "hell". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "seeing" and "before", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 30's "Therefore being a prophet and knowing that..." into verse 32's "This Jesus hath God raised up whereof...", so "seeing" and "before" belong inside that flow. In Acts context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "seeing" and "before" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.